Cirrus Icon Development

Originally posted by blaze720

   Russ, its honestly not a problem - I'm only down the M5 from you and am happy to let you have a sail anytime you want.  

Bethwaite argues in his first book that it was a deliberate saftey measure to make his boats invert, but I'm really not convinced.  Maybe it has some merit on Sydney harbour or trans-ocean sailing, I don't know, but the cynic in me thinks it was just a way of explaining why his wing masts didn't have tops on them (which is less easy than on a round mast). 

I'm not aware of any fatalities from dinghies blowing away from capsized sailors (but there may have been some), but I do know of instances where people have become trapped under upturned hulls.  And in the far less extreme but far more common instances, turtled boats can be a real pain to right, almost certainly ending your race and often your days sailing from the physical exhaustion, cold and possibly a broken mast.  And you are far more likely to need rescue boat assistance, tying up a valuable safety resource.  Righting a turtled boat can be a real drama, righting a boat on its side with a light rig and self draining hull hopefully isn't.  

As an aside, and linking to another topic, I actually think that is one of the reasons for the Laser's popularity.  As an inexperienced helm you may stand a good chance of capsizing whilst gybing, but they are so easy to right that there is no worry, no panic, no game over.  You can upright and sailin at full speed just a few seconds later.  That means you are happy to sail in conditions that you wouldn't want to many other boats.

But anyway, forum talk is one thing, but if you want to see for yourself do come along and try it - you are all very welcome.